Brendon_t Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 The table top of my dining room table has seen some better days. From raising 3 kids, it is quite beat to hell and the epoxy fillings that filled large holes have come loose. My wife has asked me make a new top but with what? I have only really worked with red oak and a few colorful exotics for cutting boards. The new top will be attempted to be stained to match the current table bottom and benches. They are all quite dark. I am thinking walnut with a spring joint breadboard ends. The table will be 7x4 in California without much weather change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Walnut is a good choice. Easy to work with . I would start with 5/4 thick stock minimum. 6/4 if you can get it, and 8/4 wouldn't be to thick for a tabletop that size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 I like walnut as well.. If given the choice tho, I'd avoid the stain and let the wood speak for itself.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan S Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 I am thinking walnut with a spring joint breadboard ends. The table will be 7x4 in California without much weather change.Are the kids out of the house, because walnut is pretty soft and will ding easy. Have you considered a contrasting top out of a harder wood, like maple or ash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Eric. Posted December 14, 2014 Popular Post Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 If you stain walnut...you're banned. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 If you stain walnut...you're banned. Proper use of authority! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 The kids are not yet out of the house but they are now old enough to respect things that do not belong to them. I know artificial color on the walnut would be almost blasphemous but I'm pretty much up against it. Wife loves the design of the table and loves the color of the finish.. I asked if she was against a contrasting color top and bench tops but she was not thrilled with it a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Just had a thought, maybe I could talk her into allowing me to use the walnut for most of the top but use some good sections off the current top to breadboard. I wish I knew what type of wood the table is currently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Or, rebuild the base as well in the wood of choice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Just had a thought, maybe I could talk her into allowing me to use the walnut for most of the top but use some good sections off the current top to breadboard. I wish I knew what type of wood the table is currently. If you post a pic, one of the members will be able to ID it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 If you're absolutely forced to stain to match existing furniture, not only is it blasphemous to stain walnut, it's a complete waste of money. Walnut is expensive these days...why pay for it if it isn't gonna look like it? Hard maple. Stain it whatever color you want for half the cost. For a grainier look, red oak or ash...even cheaper. All hard and durable woods. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 How complex is the base? A rebuild of the entire table may be less work and/or headache than stain matching a current base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Here is the table in poor light. Two first are the top. Last pic is of the under side. I have no idea how I could come close to even trying to color matching. I think a full new build May be the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Here is the table in poor light. Two first are the top. Last pic is of the under side. I have no idea how I could come close to even trying to color matching. I think a full new build May be the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Can't tell much from those pics. Open-pored species. Probably oak. Stained to look like mahogany. If that's the color she wants, buy mahogany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 What kind of picture would help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Looks more like some sort of tropical timber. Lots of furniture is made of all sorts of tropical timber, once they put a dark finish on it all kinda looks the same. You could use African mahogany . It's probably the closest you will get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Tarbell Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Could you simply sand down the current top to remove the dings and then refinish it? If some of the dings are deep then you could use the iron trick to bring them up a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jHop Posted December 19, 2014 Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 If you do replace the top instead of try to save it in place, keep that material and make some smaller pieces for around the house with it. Still looks in good shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted December 22, 2014 Report Share Posted December 22, 2014 Could you simply sand down the current top to remove the dings and then refinish it? If some of the dings are deep then you could use the iron trick to bring them up a bit.seems like this would be the simplest solution, and adding in some new epoxy around defects or where it's come loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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